Offset Windchests

I have spent the last week working on the offset windchests.  I figured they would be smallest, simplest, and easiest to start with.  I opened the 8' Gedeckt and 8' Principal/Dulciana chests and then removed the pouch boards for inspection.  The leather is in fine shape- no need to replace.  I unsoldered each positive wire from its magnet and removed all the old cotton-covered wire.  I didn't touch the negative wire inside the chest, but am replacing the negative outside the chest to the console.  I then strung new wires to each magnet following an organ wiring color code chart.  I am leaving 20' of cable coming out of each chest since I know I will need to move chests in order to access everything for tuning and service.  I need to pick up the junctions from Bedient Organs today so I can attach the female end of the plug to the cable.  Everything got a good vacuuming with an upholstry brush attachment on my shop-vac.  While I had the chest open I filled all the screw holes that went all the way through the chest wall- hopefully I got all the air leaks.  Now it's ready for reassembly.

My plan is to completely finish each chest and get it 100% ready for installation.  That means I need to build new stands and racks at just the right height so all the pipes fit under my ceiling and don't block each other.  It has been a bit of a challenge, since the basement has 7' ceilings and I can't actually set things up.  I've had a lot of running back and forth from pipe tray to windchest to drawing board.  I'm pretty sure I have it all figured out.  I realized that I had to put the 8' Gedeckt and 8' Principal/Dulciana offsets as close to the floor as possible.  The problem was the wind inlets were on the bottom of the chest.  Using PVC fittings would have forced me to put the chest a lot higher than I wanted.  I had to build new wood inlets so the bottom of the chests would be exactly 4-1/4" above the floor.  Thankfully the 16' Gedeckt offset already had this set-up so I had a model to follow.  Today I will put a coat of shellac on the new wood parts and we will be good to go!  Starting the woodworking portion of the project made me think about helping grandpa in his wood shop when I was a kid.  Building a birdhouse was pretty cool for a 8-year-old.  Looking back I really am grateful that I had grandpa there to teach me some woodworking skills.  Thanks Grandpa!